


By Any Other Name

by Inkelf



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Mush, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Triggers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-03-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:08:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22987666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inkelf/pseuds/Inkelf
Summary: It's life after happily ever after, but that doesn't mean the pain of the past just goes away. | Rapunzel is triggered by something Gothel used to call her, and Eugene is the most supportive partner ever.
Relationships: Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel
Comments: 20
Kudos: 122





	By Any Other Name

**Author's Note:**

> I had so many New Dream feels after watching the finale last night that I laid in bed and wrote this on my phone even though I was supposed to be sleeping.

"Can you believe that I spent how many years of my life in Corona and I never got around to visiting this place?" Eugene placed his hands on his hips as he surveyed the Courtyard of Fountains.  
Rapunzel looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. "Maybe because it's a private, by invitation only wing of the royal palace?"  
Eugene sniffed, looking almost offended. "Rapunzel, Flynn Rider never went _anywhere_ with an invitation."  
Rapunzel's lips quirked. "Ah, so the reason you didn't visit here then was because there was nothing worth stealing?"  
Eugene opened his mouth to protest, then stopped, shaking his head and laughing. "Okay, you know what, you've got me."  
Rapunzel smiled and looped her arm through his, bouncing up on her tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek. Eugene's smile softened immediately, reaching out to put his arm around her shoulders.  
"Well, for what it's worth," Rapunzel said softly, "I'm glad to be here with Eugene and experiencing this together for both of our first times."  
Eugene bent his head to press a kiss to the top of her hair. "Me too, sunshine."  
They stayed that way for a little while, just content to hold each other, but then curiosity and the reason they had come here prompted Rapunzel to pull back so she could get a proper, wide-eyed look at the courtyard.  
Dozens of fountains were arranged in carefully chosen spirals, and the angle of the sun cast sparkling specs of rainbow light through the air. Rapunzel lifted her arms and closed her eyes, relishing the feeling of the droplets flickering over her skin.  
Eugene watched her with a warm smile. The fountains were beautiful of course, but they faded with a rush of the steady coursing water when he watched her vivacious excitement.  
Opening her eyes, Rapunzel turned back to face him, beaming, and reached out to grab his hand. "Come on! Let's sit by the big one, with all the flowers."  
Eugene contentedly let her lead the way, good-naturedly protesting that the water spray would ruin his hair, which made Rapunzel laugh, which would have been worth all the soggy hair in the world.  
They sat on the base of the biggest fountain, the spray misting over them. Water flowers bloomed in and around the fountain, and Eugene picked one of them to tuck into Rapunzel's short brown hair just behind her ear.  
"A flower for my flower," he said, smiling.  
Rapunzel's smile faltered and her breath felt suddenly thin. Perhaps it was the mist, but her skin suddenly felt clammy, and for a moment she was no longer here, but far away, and she didn't even realize Eugene had continued speaking until she heard the worry in his voice. She forced her eyes to refocus on him, feeling slightly dizzy.  
Eugene's eyes were full of concern. "Rapunzel, what's wrong? Are you feeling ill? You're so pale--"  
Shame suddenly burned in Rapunzel's cheeks, though she still felt cold and confused. She averted her gaze, though her fingers tightened in Eugene's hand. "I-- I'm fine," she said, trying to pretend for both their sakes.  
But Eugene wasn't having any of it. "Rapunzel, I can see you're not," he said firmly. "You can talk to me. Tell me what's wrong, please. Do you want to go back inside?"  
Rapunzel shook her head. "No, no it's-- it's not being out here, it's just--" She gave a shaky laugh that was supposed to mask her sudden closeness to tears but only succeeded in bringing her obviously closer. "It's so silly, I'm sorry--"  
"Rapunzel." Eugene placed his hand against her cheek, and very gently raised her head so he could look her in the eye. "Anything that upsets you is not silly. You can trust me. And if I did or said anything to make you even remotely uncomfortable, I want you to tell me so I can make sure to never do it again."  
Rapunzel sighed, bringing up her hand to place over Eugene's. "Moth-- _Gothel._ She-- she used to call me flower."  
Eugene's expression twisted faintly, both in realization and understanding. "I'm so sorry, Rapunzel," he said quietly. "I didn't know."  
"I know-- I know you didn't," Rapunzel hastened to reassure him. "That's why it's silly--"  
"No, it's not," Eugene said firmly. "It is the farthest thing from silly. I won't call you that again, I promise. And I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable, even unintentionally." He brushed back her hair from her cheek, slipping out the flower as he did.  
Rapunzel reached up to catch his hand and the flower, bringing them both in between them. "I know," she said softly. "I forgive you. Thank you-- thank you for understanding."  
"Of course." Eugene gave her hands a gentle squeeze. "Is there anything else you want me to not call you? Or-- do you want me to stay away from nicknames at all?"  
"No, I love the other nicknames you have for me." Rapunzel smiled at him. "That's the only one I-- I don't want to be called anymore."  
Eugene nodded. "All right." His eyes scanned hers, his own full of gentle concern and love. "I love you, Rapunzel. And I don't ever want to hurt you. So if I every say or do anything that hurts you, please, please tell me right away. No matter how small. You don't have to bear the things that hurt you or invalidate you anymore."  
Rapunzel's eyes were definitely burning, and she leaned in to embrace him tightly. "Thank you, Eugene," she whispered. "I love you, too."


End file.
